Straw-cutter



(No Model.)

A. J. COLBURN.

StraW'Gutter.

No. 230,747. 1 Patented Aug. 3,1880.

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n. PETERS. PMMO-L|THOCMPHER. wAlmN UNITED STATES IPATENT Free..

ADONIRUM J COLBURN, OF GREENVILLE, MICHIGAN.

STRAW-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,747, dated August 3, 1880.

Application filedJ'une 10, 1380. (No model.)

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADONIRUM J. GOLBURN, of the city of Greenville, in the county of Montcalm, and the State of Michigan, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Self-Feeding Straw-Gutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of the specification, and to the letters and figures of `reference marked thereon.

Figure I of the drawings is-.a representation of a perspective view of my improved feedeutter. Fig. 2 is a side view, showing feedingfork and levers. Fig. 3 is a view of slotted pressure-plate and spring. Fig. 4t is a representation of the slotted bottom of feed-box.

This invention has relation to improvements in self-feeding feed-cutters; and the nature of the invention consists in combining with a feed-table a sash reciprocating vertically in its throat, with knife bolted across the front of same; also, a lever pivoted to center of said sash, having its fulcrum on a rod connected with one of the legs of frame; also, a wood or metallic pressure-plate arranged in throat of said feed-table, connected loosely with said sash by means of slot in front of pressureplate and pin in sash; also, a feeding arrangement under side of feed-table, consisting of a feeding-fork, levers, and roller, the levers connected with sash at front end and back leg of frame at back end.

The bottoms of feed-table and pressure-plate have slots through them for the tines of the feeding-fork to pass through in feeding the straw to the knife.

By raising the lever the pressure-plate is raised sufficient to let the straw pass under it, and at the same time the tines of the feedingfork pass up through the straw and are carried forward, moving the straw -forward to knife. The down motion of lever cuts the straw and carries the fork down and back into position for the next stroke, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, A designates a feed-box of usual form, supported upon legs a t a', properlyT braced together.

B indicates a metallic sash, of square form,

reciprocating vertically in grooves b b formed in the inner faces of legs a a, and composed of side bars, c o, and cross-girts d d.

D is a knife nearly in form of an inverted letter V, bolted to said sash in three places.

C is a metallic bar across the front of the feed-box A, and screwed fast to the legs a a. The top of bar is level with the top of box A and just clears the knife D. The object of the bar is to hold up the front end of the straw while being out.

In the center of the cross-girt d of sash Bis a pin, r, extending through the cross-girt fl. rBhe outer end is pivoted to lever E. The inner end of said pin Works loosely in slot e`in the front or vertical part of pressure-plate F. Said pressure plate works in grooves f f, formed in the inner faces of legs a a. lIhe pressure-plate extends some distance back in box A, and has slots g through it, corresponding in number to the number of tines in the feeding-fork G.

The back end of pressure-plate is beveled upward at its back end tolet the straw pass under it freely in feeding.

H is a coiled spring, held in position by post i and cross-bar h.

The object of the pressure-[date and spring is to hold the straw from being lifted up when the feeding-fork passes through it in its upward and forward motion in feeding the straw to the knife.

The bottom of box A has slots N through it, corresponding in number to the number of tines in feeding-fork, and exactly under those in the pressure-plate. The slots are of sufficient length to let the fork move far enough to cut the straw any desired length.

The feeding-fork G is composed of tines s,

head-piece t, and handle u. The tines are metallic, and may be round or any other shape desired, and any desired number. The handle has a cam formed on the back side at j.

J is a lever. Its back end is pivoted to leg a'. The front end is attached loosely with bottom girt, d', of sash B by passing between lugs m m and over roller u. The handle of fork passes through lever J near its front end, and is pivoted to it at 7c.

K is a lever pivoted at its back end to leg a', and fastened nearits front end by screws o pass- IOO Adown the length of straw cut is regulated as ing through a slot in standard L. The front end of said lever carries a roller, p, which strikes against the cani j 0n handle of fork and carries the fork forward when the sash B is raised, the fork moving the straw forward to the knife. By loosening the screw o in standard L and moving the lever K up 0r desired.

M is a wedge-shaped block, screwed fast ontop of girt P, against which the lower rounded en d of fork-handle strikes in its downward inotion, carrying the fork back into position for the next upward and forward movement when the lever is again raised.

I is a fulcrum-rod of crank shape. Thelower end passes through one of the legs a a. The upper end passes through the end of lever E. By changing the rod from one leg to the other it may be a right or left hand machine; and by detaching the lever J from sash B it can be used as a hand feeding-machine.

The operation of my improved feed-cutter is as follows: Straw is introduced endwise into the feed-box A. The lever E is then raised, which raises the sash and pressure-plate and carries the fork up and forward. The straw is then pushed under the pressure-plate against the fork. The lever is then pressed down,

which carries the fork down and back to place. When the lever is again raised the fork passes up through the straw and is carried forward,

carrying the straw forward ready to be cut. The lever is then pressed down, which cuts the straw and carries the fork back into position for the neXt stroke, the straw being carried forward with every upward motion of lever and cut with every downward motion.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with feed-box A and vertical reciprocating sash B, knife D, and lever E, pivoted to center of sash and fulcrumed on rod I, of the pressure-plate F, having slots in its back end at g, and slot e in front side, and pin r, connecting pressure-plate to sash loosely, and bar C in front of sash, substantially as specified.

2. lThe combination, with feed-box A, sash B, and pressure-plate F, of the slotted bottom ot feed-box A, feeding-fork G, lever J, connected to sash B by lugs on m and roller n, and lever-K, roller 29, and wedge-shaped block M, the combination giving the fork four distinct motions in its operation-viz., an upward, forward, downward, and backward -rnotionfor the purpose substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ADONIRUM J. COLBURN.

Witnesses:

EUs'rAoE W. TOWER, J. GRACEY. 

